OAN Staff Addie Davis
7:13 AM – Tuesday, June 16, 2026
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), alongside law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice (DOJ), stopped an alleged planned attack on the historic Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Freedom 250 event at the White House, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed.
In a Tuesday X post, Patel said they first became aware of the potential threat on Wednesday, June 10th, and conducted a multi-state operation, with multiple people now in custody.
Citing officials, Fox News reported that investigators had discovered a network of potentially 23 people involved in the alleged plot. The purported plan involved hitting buildings near the event with explosive-laden drones and triggering a mass evacuation, with crowds steered toward a sniper team, officials said.
A “second wave” was also allegedly planned to storm the White House gate, according to officials, per Fox News.
Upon initial review of one suspect’s phone, 23 users of the instant messaging app Signal were identified who were discussing “pre-operational activity,” officials said.
The outlet further reported that a suspect had allegedly told investigators that the purpose was to target “capitalist elites,” “billionaires,” or politicians who were given donations by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
The UFC Freedom 250 event that took place on the White House South Lawn on Sunday, June 14th, was a massive undertaking with high-level security measures meant to celebrate 250 years of American independence. It also coincided with Flag Day and President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
An estimated 4,300 people were in attendance, including high-ranking officials and Cabinet members, as well as the president and First Lady Melania Trump. At the nearby park, The Ellipse, it is estimated that about 85,000 people gathered for the viewing party.
Patel boasted about the work of law enforcement to foil the alleged attack, noting the efforts were not unusual.
“While the results represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team — we are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens — particularly during large gatherings like the historic UFC 250 fight. That’s exactly what we did here,” the FBI director said.
“I want to thank our great agents and partners, this work remains ongoing and we will continue to update the public as permitted,” he continued.
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